Fine adjustment control mechanism for orientation and/or positioning of a pay load

Abstract

A mechanism for finely adjusting the orientation and/or the position of a payload, characterized in that it comprises: a resilient mechanism constituted by at least one continuous ring (10); a payload support device (15) suitable for transforming deformation of the ring into rotation or into combined rotation and translation; a ring deformation mechanism (11) suitable for directly applying simultaneous deformation forces at two diameterically opposite points of the ring; and a device (14) for varying the orientation of the diametral line of action of the ring deformation mechanism, thereby enabling the orientation and/or the position of the payload to be adjusted finely or coarsely. The mechanism is applicable to the optical industry, to pointing antennas, etc.

I claims: 
     
       1. A mechanism for finely adjusting the orientation and/or the position of a payload, the mechanism comprising: payload support means (15; 15a);   elastically deformable resilient means (10) that are circularly symmetrical in the non-deformed state;   deformation means (11) for deforming the resilient means (10); and   connection means (20; 20a) for connecting the payload support means (15; 15a) to the resilient means (10) enabling deformations thereof to be communicated to the payload support means and thus to the payload;   which mechanism is characterized in that:   the resilient means are constituted by at least one continuous ring (10) having predetermined radius (R), radial thickness (t), and axial width (a);   the payload support means (15; 15a) is disposed relative to the ring (10) in such a manner as to transform deformation thereof into rotation or into combined rotation and translation of the support means;   the deformation means (11) for deforming the ring (10) which cause the ring to go from the non-deformed state to the deformed state are suitable for applying an outwardly directed deformation force (F) to said ring simultaneously at two diametrically opposite points (P M ) of the ring (10) defining a diametral action line (x--x) of the deformation means (11), said ring (10) having singular points (P O ) which remain substantially stationary when the ring goes from the non-deformed state to the deformed state with the distributions of the singular points on the ring (10) being a function of the orientation of the diametral line of action (x--x) of the deformation means (11) relative to a reference diameter of the ring passing through the location of said connection means thereon; and   it further includes means (14) for varying the orientation of the diametral action line (x--x) of the ring deformation means (11) within predetermined limits, thereby varying the distribution of said substantially fixed points (P O ) of the ring in such a manner that the location of the connection means coincides with varying positions including positions close to and positions distant from said substantially fixed points (P O ) of the ring (10), the deformations of the ring corresponding to said positions enabling fine and coarse adjustments respectively of the payload support means (15; 15a) and thus of the payload.   
     
     
       2. A mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformation means are constituted by a double-acting actuator (11) disposed inside the resilient ring (10) so as to bear against two diametrically opposite points (P M ) of the inside surface of the ring. 
     
     
       3. A mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the resiliently deformable means are constituted by two rings (10) each of which has an actuator (11) of the above type disposed therein, these two actuators being connected to a fixed structure (19) via a rigid link (21) which interconnects the two actuators (11), the payload support means being constituted by a plate (15a) fixed at two opposite ends to the two rings (10). 
     
     
       4. A mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the resiliently deformable means are constituted by a single ring (10) having the above-mentioned actuator (11) disposed therein, the support means being constituted by a plate (15) having one end fixed to the ring (10), and having its opposite end pivotally mounted to a fixed structure (19) about a flexible pivot (18). 
     
     
       5. A mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that the means for varying the orientation of the diametral line of action (x--x) of the ring deformation rings (11) comprise a stepper motor (14) which drives the actuator (11) and the ring (10) together, the connection means (20) being suitable for enabling the ring (10) to slide freely relative to the support plate (15).